Tenpin spotting device



Patented Mar. 24, 1953 TENPIN SPOTTING DEVICE Harry Rosenthal, New York,N. Y., assignor to No-Nik Corporation, New York, N. Y., a. corporationof New York Application July 14,1949, Serial No. 104,620

14 Claims. 1

This invention relates to positioning means for tenpins and moreparticularly to spotting devices or spots for bowling alleys wherein apeg is raised to be received in a bore of the tenpin to position thetenpin.

My invention relates generally to spotting devices of the general typeshown in the United States patent to Barry No. 1,608,156 issued November23, 1926.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved spotting device ofthis kind which may be easily removed and replaced.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved spot or deviceof this kind which will maintain its position in the bowling alley bedand which will not mar or scar the balls.

Additional objects of the invention are to effect simplicity andefficiency in such spotting devices and to provide an extremely simpledevice of this kind which is efficient, durable, and reliable inoperation, and economical to manufacture and install.

Still other objects of the invention will appear as the descriptionproceeds; and while herein details of the invention are described in thespecification and some of the claims, the invention as described in thebroader claims is not limited to these, and many and various changes maybe made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed inthe broader claims.

.Briefiy stated, the inventive features for the accomplishment of theseand other objects are shown herein in connection with two illustratedforms of spotting devices, each shown as disposed in a bore in a bowlingalley bed having a shallow countersink. Each device includes a fixedcircular member secured in said countersink and provided with a largecentral opening, and a removable spot comprising a removable disk-shapedpart in said countersink having a central opening. Fastening, means areprovided for holding the disk-shaped part in the countersink and on saidcircular member and flush with the top face of the bed. A lower tubularpart in said large opening, communicates with said opening of thedisk-shaped part, and a peg adapted to be raised and lowered has a lowerpart in said tubular part and an upwardly tapered part in said openingof and this operation calls for the removal of the screws and spot inorder to remove the bent peg.

This is a frequent occurrence and because of the bowling alley bed, asshown in said patent, the metal screws in the peg spots of said patentoften break leaving part of the screw in the wood.

The other part of the screw seems to be fast in' place but really jumpsup when the ball hits the tenpin and causes screw gashes of variousdepths in the .ball which may injure the balls enough to require them tobe taken out of play.

After some use, by reason of the continuous vibration caused by theimpact of the ball against the pins and the falling pins, the metalscrews, holding in place the spots heretofore used, become loose anddislodged, with the result that very often the screw heads extend abovethe bowling surface of the alley. When a played ball comes into contactwith the exposed screw head it becomes nicked and is at times therebyrendered useless for further play.

Another disadvantage under the old arrangement arises by reason of thescrew holes becoming enlarged, causing the screws to wobble and the pinspot itself to become loose. 'When this occurs, the tenpin cannot be setto be ex.- actly perpendicular as required, and time is lost to remedythis condition. When this condition arises the exposed screw head causesa ball to be deflected and interferes with accurate play.

Another quite serious and expensive result caused by the loosening ofthe screws in the .ol'd

spotting device is that it is necessary'to reset the screws so oftenthat the wood of the alley bed directly under the pin spots becomes wornout to the extent that it has to be replaced by a new section. Not onlyis the repair expensive, but it also puts the alley out of use for play.

The principle and construction of my new device eliminate all y of thesedisadvantages. All screw heads are concealed under the bowling surace. 3

In the accompanying drawing showing, by way of example, two of manypossible. embodiments of the invention, Figures 1 and 2 are fragmentalaxial sectional views partly in elevation showing two forms of myimproved spotting device.

My improved pin spot assemblies for positioning or spotting a tenpin ona bowling alley bed, are shown herein in combination with a portion ofthe alley bed having a vertical cylindrical bore 6 therein having at itsupper end a wide shallow cylindrical countersink or counterbore 1 havinga flat bottom 8.

The spot assembly is disposed in said bore and countersink and in theform shown in Figure 1 comprises a stationary outer socket 9 snuglyfitting in said countersink and against said flat bottom and extendingupwardly at Ill flush with the top face ll of the bed. Said socket 9 isprovided with a wide circular recess I2 extending to near the peripheryand bottom face of said socket and provided with internal peripheralthreads [4 and with a wide flat bottom l5 having a large central openingI6 slightly smaller in diameter than said bore 6, and said socket has aplurality of screw holes il' about midway between the periphery and saidopening and having wide frusto-conical countersinks 58 receiving screw19 extending into the bed and spaced from said bore 8 and having wideflat slotted heads lea snugly fitting in the frusto-conical countersinksl8 flush with said fiat bottom it. Said screws hold the socket 9 firmlyin place with no looseness.

A removable spot 20 in said recess l2 and bore 6 comprises a disk-shapedupper part 2! in said recess l2 flush with the top faces Iii and H ofthe socket and bed and having a central opening 22, a lower fiat face23, and peripheral threads 24 engaged with the threads 14 of the socketfor forcibly pressing said lower fiat face 23 on the flat screw heads Weto hold the heads firmly in their associated counter-sinks to hold thescrews against turning and against tendency to wobble and to hold thescrews vertical to cause the screws to press against the wood withapproximately even force throughout and minimize the wearing of thescrew holes.

The lower part of the removable spot comprises a tubular part 25integral with the diskshaped part 2| and fitted in said opening it anddisposed in, and slightly spaced from the wall of, said bore 6 andhaving a bore 26 of substantially constant inner diameter communicatingwith and slightly larger in diameter than, said opening 22, andextending to near the lower end of the bore and having a very slightflare 2'! at the lower end.

A spotting peg 28, 29 vertically movable in the spot 20 has an enlargeddiameter lower part 28 adapted to engage in said flared part 21 and anupwardly substantially uniformly tapered part 29 adapted to fit in saidopening 22 and project above the spot to receive thereon a lower axialbore 30 in a tenpin 3|, for positioning the tenpm.

Said disk-shaped part is provided with spanner receiving holes 32between the opening 22 and the periphery, whereby when a peg becomesbent or for any reason has to be removed, said spot may be removed fromthe socket without removing said screws [9, thereby eliminating wear onthe screw hole threads in the wood and eliminating the necessity of newscrew holes and the eventual replacement of the portion of the bed 5adjacent to the bore.

The screw heads l9a are well covered and said assembly is at all timesfree of any projecting sharp pointor edge that might cut or nick thebowling balls.

In, the form of the invention as. shown. in Figure 2, a fixed disk 9asnugly fitting in the lower part of the countersink 1 and against saidfiat bottom 8 of the countersink, is provided with a large centralopening IBa provided with threads Ma, and screw holes I! having widecountersinks l8. Screws [9 in said holes and bed spaced from said borehave wide heads 19a snugly fitting in the countersinks I8 of the disk 9aas in Fi ure 1.

A removable spot 20a in said bore and countersink of the bed comprises adisk-shaped upper part 2m fitting in the countersink l flush with thetop face of the bed and having a peg-receiving central opening 22 and alower fiat face 23a flat against the disk 9a and screw heads I911. Thetop face of the spot 20a has spanner receiving holes 3212. Said spot 20ahas integral therewith a lower tubular part 25a in said opening l6a ofthe disk and receiving the lower part of the peg 2B, 29 and havingexternal threads 24a engaged with the threads I la of the centralopening Illa, of the disk for forcibly pressing the diskshaped part onthe fiat screw heads la.

The operation and advantages of the device of Figure 2 are substantiallythe same as in the device of Figure 1. The device of Figure 2 issomewhat easier to manufacture, and allows the screws H! to be furtherfrom the bore 6, thus strengthening the screw holes in the wood.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a bed having a vertical bore having an upper wideshallow countersink having a fiat bottom; a fixed socket snugly fittingin said countersink and against said fiat bottom and provided with acircular recess extending near the periphery and said bottom andprovided with internal peripheral threads and a flat bottom having acentral opening, and screw holes having wide countersinks; screws insaid holes and bed spaced from said bore and having flat heads snuglyfitting in the countersinks of the socket; a spot in said recess andbore and comprising a disk-shaped upper part in said recess and having acentral opening and a lower fiat face and spanner receiving holes in itstop face, and peripheral threads engaged with the threads of the socketand forcibly pressing the diskshaped part on the fiat screw heads; saidspot having integral therewith a lower tubular part communicating withand slightly larger in inner diameter than said opening of thedisk-shaped part; and a peg having an enlarged diameter lower partadapted to engage said tubular part and an upwardly tapered part adaptedto fit in said opening of the disk-shaped part and projecting above thespot.

2. In a pin spot assembly for positioning or spotting a tenpin on abowling alley bed, the combination with the adjacent part of the bedhaving a vertical cylindrical bore therein having at the upper end awide shallow cylindrical countersink having a fiat bottom, of a spot insaid bore and countersink comprising a fixed socket snugly fitting insaid countersink and against said fiat bottom and extending upwardlyflush with the top surface of the bed and provided with a wide circularrecess extending to near the periphery and bottom face of said socketand provided with internal peripheral threads and with a wide fiatbottom having a central opening slightly smaller in diameter than saidbore, and a plurality of screw holes about mid-way between the peripheryand said opening and having wide frusto-conical countersinks; screws insaid holes and extending into the bed and spaced from said bore andhaving wide fiat slotted heads snugly fitting in the frusto-conicalcountersinks flush with said flat bottom; and a removable diskshapedpart in said recess having a central opening and peripheral threadsengaged with the peripheral threads of the socket to hold the diskshapedpart in place and pressed against the fiat screw heads; a lower tubularpart integral with said disk-shaped part communicating with said openingof the disk-shaped part and a peg having a lower part in said tubularpart and an upwardly tapered part in said opening of the disk-shapedpart and projecting above the diskshaped part to be received in a borein a tenpin.

3. In combination, a wooden bowling alley bed having a bore having ashallow countersink, a socket in said countersink and provided with acentral opening and a wide circular recess having peripheral fasteningthreads and countersunk screw holes between the threads and saidopening; flat-headed screws in said holes and the wood of the bed; aremovable spot in said recess and bore and comprising a peripherallythreaded disk-shaped upper part in said recess flush with the top faceof the socket and bed and having a central opening and a lower flat faceand peripheral threads engaged with the threads of the socket forforcibly pressing the lower flat face on the fiat screw heads to holdthe heads firmly in their associated countersinks, to hold the screwsagainst turning and to hold the screws in vertical position and againsttendency to wobble and to hold the screws vertical to cause the screwsto press against the wood with approximately even force throughout andminimize the wearing of the screw holes; a lower tubular part integralwith said spot communicating with said opening of the disk-shaped part;and a peg having a lower part in said tubular part and an upwardlytapered part in said opening of the disk-shaped part and projectingabove the disk-shaped part.

4. In combination, a wooden bowling alley bed having a bore having ashallow countersink, a socket in said countersink and provided with awide circular recess having peripheral fastening threads, a centralopening and countersunk screw holes between the opening and the threads;fiatheaded screws in said holes and the wood of the bed; a removabledisk-shaped part in said recess having a central opening and peripheralthreads engaged with the peripheral threads of the socket to hold thedisk-shaped part in place and forcibly pressing it against the heads ofsaid screws; a lower tubular part integral with the disk-shaped part andcommunicating with said opening of the disk-shaped part; and a peghaving a lower part in said tubular part and an upwardly tapered part insaid opening of the disk-shaped part and projecting above thedisk-shaped part; said diskshaped part being provided with spannerreceiving holes between the opening and the periphery whereby when a pegbecomes bent and has to be removed, said disk-shaped part may be removedfrom the socket without removing said screws thereby eliminating wear onthe screw hole threads and eliminating the necessity of new screw holesand the eventual replacement of the portion of the bed adjacent to thebore; the assembly being at all times free of any projecting sharp edgethat could cut or nick the bowling balls.

5. In combination, a bed having a vertical bore having an upper wideshallow countersink having a flat bottom; a fixed member snugly fittingsaid fiat bottom and provided with a large central opening and screwholes having wide countersinks; screws in said holes and bed spaced fromsaid bore and having flat heads snugly fitting in the countersinks ofthe screw holes; a spot in said shallow countersink and bore andcomprising a disk-shaped upper part disposed in said shallow countersinkeven with the top face of the bed and having a central opening and alower fiat face fiat against said member and screw heads, the top faceof the spot having spanner receiving holes; said spot having integraltherewith a lower tubular part in said opening of said member andcommunicating with and slightly larger in inner diameter than saidopening of the disk-shaped part; said member and spot havinginterengaging threads, for efiecting forcible pressing of the diskshapedpart upon the flat screw heads; and a peg.

having an enlarged diameter lower part at said tubular part and anupwardly, tapered part adaptand bore and comprising a disk-shaped upperpart fitting in said countersink of the bed flush with the top face ofthe bed and having a central opening and a lower flat face fiat againstsaid disk and screw heads, the top face of the spot having spannerreceiving holes; said spot having integral therewith a lower tubularpart in said opening of the disk and communicating with and slightlylarger in inner diameter than said opening of the disk-shaped part, andhaving external threads engaged with the threads of the central openingof the disk for forcibly pressing the disk-,

shaped part on the flat screw heads; and a peg in said tubular memberand said opening of the disk-shaped part and projecting above the spot,

7. A spotting assembly adapted to be disposed in a bore in a bowlingalley bed having a shallow counterbore, said assembly comprising a fixeddisk adapted to fit in the lower part of said counterbore and providedwith a large central opening and screw holes having countersinks; flatheaded screws in said holes and adapted to be received in said bed andhaving heads in the countersinks; a spot disposable in said counterboreand bore and comprising a disk shaped upper structure adapted to fit insaid counterbore with its top face flush with the top face of the bedand having a central opening and a lower fiat face on the screw heads;said spot having integral therewith a lower tubular part in said openingof the disk and communicating with said opening of the disk-shapedstructure; and means engaging said disk and structure for forciblypressing said disk-shaped upper structure on the screw heads.

. 8. A spotting assembly adapted to be disposed in a bore in a bowlingalley bed having a shallow counterbore, having a flat bottom, saidassembly comprising a fixed disk adapted to snugly fit in the lower partof said counterbore and against said fiat bottom and provided with alarge central opening and screw holes having countersinks; screws insaid holes and adapted to be reinthelower part .of said countersink andagainst 15 eivedin aid bed and havingheads snugly fitting 7. in thecountersinks; a spot disposable in said counterbore and bore andcomprising a disk shaped upper structure adapted to fit in saidcounterbore of the bed with its top face fiush with the top face of thebed and having a central opening and a lower flat face on the screwheads; said spot having integral therewith a lower tubular part in saidopening of the disk and communicating with and larger in inner diameterthan said opening of the disk-shaped structure; and threaded meansengaging said disk and structure for holding said disk-shaped upperstructure over the disk and forcibly pressing said lower face againstthe screw heads.

' 9. In combination, a wooden bed having a vertical bore having an upperwide shallow counterbore having a flat bottom; a fixed circular membersnugly fitting in the lower part of said counterbore and against saidfiat bottom and provided with a large central opening and screw holeshaving wide countersinks; screws in said holes and in the wood of thebed spaced from said bore and having heads snugly fitting in thecountersinks of the screw holes and holding the member in thecounterbore; a spot in said counterbore and bore and comprising adisk-shaped upper structure disposed in said counterbore with its topface even with the top face of the bed and having a central opening anda lower fiat face pressing on said screw heads; said spot havingintegral therewith a lower tubular part in said opening of the circularmember and communicating with and larger in inner diameter than saidopening of the disk-shaped structure; holding means for detachablyholding the diskshaped structure in the counterbore and forciblypressing said lower face against the screw heads and adapted to allowdetaching the spot without removing the screws from the wood; and a pegin said tubular part and said opening of the diskshaped structure andprojecting above the spot.

10. A combination as in claim 9 in which said circular member isprovided with a wide circular recess, and in which said holding meanscomprises peripheral fastening threads in said recess and peripheralthreads on said disk-shaped structure engaging said threads of themember.

11. In combination, a wooden bed having a vertical bore having an upperwide counterbore; a fixed disk fitting in said counterbore and having alarge central opening, and. screw holes having wide countersinks; screwsin said holes and bed spaced from said bore and having wide flat headssnugly fitting in the countersinks of the disk; a spot in saidcounterbore and bore and comprising a disk-shaped upper part fitting insaid counterbore of the bed and having a central opening and a lowerfiat face pressed fiat against said screw heads; said spot havingintegral therewith a lower tubular part in said opening of the disk andcommunicating with said opening of the disk-shaped part; and a pegfitting in the lower end of said tubular part and said opening of thedisk-shaped part and projecting above the spot for reception in a boreof a tenpin; and means engaging said disk and spot for forcibly holdingand pressing said disk-shaped upper part against;the fiat screw headswith sufficient force to hold said heads sufiiciently firmly in contactwith their associated countersinks to hold the screws in verticalposition, to cause the screws to press against the wood withapproximately even force throughout to minimize the wearing of, thescrew holes when. the force of a ball on: the .tenpinis transmittedthrough the peg,

said. disk-shaped upper part and the fixed disk to the screws.

12. In combination, a wooden bed having a vertical bore having an upperwide counterbore;

l. a fixed disk fitting in said counterbore and having a large centralopening, and screw holes having wide countersinks; screws in said holesand bed spaced from said bore and having wide fiat heads snugly fittingin the countersinks of the disk; a spot in said counterbore and bore andcomprising a disk-shaped upper part fitting in said counterbore of thebed and having a central opening and a lower fiat face pressed fiatagainst said screw heads; said spot having integral therewith a lowertubular part in said opening of the disk and communicating with saidopening of the disk-shapedpart; and a peg fitting in the lower end ofsaid tubular part and said opening of the disk-shaped part andprojecting above the spot for reception in a bore of a tenpin; andinterengaging threads carried by the disk and spot for forcibly holdingand pressing said diskshaped upper part against the fiat screw headswith sufficient force to hold said heads sufiiciently firmly in contactwith their associated countersinks to hold the screws in verticalposition to cause the screws to press against the wood withapproximately even force throughout to minimize the wearing of the screwholes when the force of a ball on the tenpin is transmitted to thescrews.

13. In combination, a wooden bed having a vertical bore having an upperwide counterbore; a fixed disk fitting in said counterbore and having alarge central opening, and screw holes having wide countersinks; screwsin said holes and bed spaced from said bore and having wide fiat headssnugly fitting in the countersinks of the disk; a spot in saidcounterbore and bore and comprising a disk-shaped upper part fitting insaid counterbore of the bed and having a central opening and a lowerfiat face pressed fiat against said screw heads; said spot havingintegral therewith a lower tubular part in said opening of the disk andcommunicating with said opening of the disk-shaped part; and a pegfitting in the lower end of said tubular part and in said opening of thedisk-shaped part and projecting above the spot for reception in a boreof a tenpin; and interengaging threads in said central opening of thedisk and on said tubular part for forcibly holding and pressing saiddisk-shaped upper part against the fiat screw heads with sufiicientforce to hold said heads sufficiently firmly in contact with theirassociated countersinks to hold the screws in vertical position to causethe screws to press against the wood with approximately even forcethroughout to minimize the wearing of the screw holes when the force ofa ball on the tenpin is transmitted to the screws.

14. A spot assembly combination for minimizing the pulling and tiltingstresses on screws holding the assembly in place; said combinationcomprising a wooden bed having a vertical bore having a counterbore; aspot assembly in said counterbore and comprising a fixed disk snuglyfitting in the lower part of the counterbore and provided with a largecentral opening, and screw holes having wide countersinks; screws insaid holes and bed and spaced from said bore and having fiat headssnugly fitting in the countersinks; a spot in said counterborecomprising a disk-shaped upper part engaging on said heads and having acentral opening and a lower flat 7 a facesaid disk-shaped parthavingintegral theremam . 9 with a lower tubularpart communicating with saidopening of the disk-shaped part; a peg having an enlarged diameter lowerpart adapted to engage in said tubular part and an upwardly tapered partadapted to snugly, fit in said opening of the disk-shaped part andprojecting above the spot; and threaded means engaging the disk anddisk-shaped part for forcibly pressing said disk-shaped part against theflat screw heads with sufficient force to hold said heads suflicientlyfirmly in contact with their associated countersinks to hold the screwsin' vertical position against the wood to minimize the wearing andlateral enlargement of the screw holes.

HARRY ROSENTHAL.

10 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 732,024 Gunn June 23, 1903882,851 Vearing Mar. 24,1908 1,608,156 Barry Nov. 23, 1926 1,879,306Kennedy Sept. 27, 1932 2,117,204 Murphy May 10, 1938 2,205,454Achenbach- June 25, 1940

